Konami announced a major new Castlevania sequel, Belmont’s Curse, during a recent PlayStation State of Play showcase. It was confirmed to be a return to the franchise’s 1980s roots, complete with a focus on a new Belmont hero, wielding a whip and other weapons to take on the forces of evil.
As Konami has recently confirmed, this is just the start of a fresh Castlevania revival.
Konami’s Castlevania plans – quick links
Netflix’s Castlevania has seemingly inspired a return to the franchise
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse may be the first major Castlevania game in more than a decade, following on from 2014’s Lords of Shadow 2. But in the decades-long absence between major entries, the franchise has only become more popular. That’s largely thanks to Netflix.
In 2017, the streaming platforming introduced mainstream audiences to the franchise through an animated adaptation featuring heroes Trevor Belmont, Alucard and Sypha Belnades, with events inspired by the video games Dracula’s Curse (1989), Curse of Darkness (2005) and Symphony of Night (1997).
Netflix’s Castlevania ran for four seasons, each expanding on the lore of the franchise. The initial series also inspired a spin-off, Nocturne, which follows new characters Richter Belmont and Maria Renard. Like its predecessor, this series has been warmly received by existing fans of the franchise, as well as an entirely new audience.
With the mainstream success of these adaptations, a clear message has been received: despite a long absence, the Castlevania franchise remains popular and well-loved by a passionate audience. Now, Konami is leaning into this popularity, working alongside studios Evil Empire and Motion Twin to revive the game franchise for an entirely new generation of players.
The doors of Castlevania open once more
As we previously reported, Belmont’s Curse is the next major game in the Castlevania franchise, and it functions as a revival of the classic gameplay style. Developers Evil Empire and Motion Twin previously worked with Konami on Castlevania-themed expansion content for their side-scrolling adventure Dead Cells, and they will bring this experience and expertise to the new game.
Here’s the official plot description, per Konami: ‘The game is set in 1499 Paris, a city attacked by monstrous creatures [that] suddenly emerge from the shadows. Armed with the legendary holy whip, the Vampire Killer, Trevor Belmont’s successor, ventures into the burning streets and the looming castle to hunt down the beasts.’
In a post on its newly-launched Castlevania 40th anniversary hub, Konami has enthused about this game, and how it will lead to a new era for the tenured franchise, encouraging fans to look forward to the return of the ‘magnificent nightmare lurking in the darkness’.
‘The doors of Castlevania open once more,’ the website reads. ‘This year marks the 40th anniversary since the original Akumajō Dracula first saw the light of day. In this commemorative year, Castlevania will be revived.’
‘First up is this title: Belmont’s Curse. We couldn’t think in other studios to work together rather than Evil Empire and Motion Twin, studios brimming with talent and passion, to deliver a new exploration-based 2D action game that captures the essence of Castlevania while bringing fresh innovation.’
Notably, Konami’s statement continued: ‘This is the beginning of numerous new products around Castlevania.’
It’s a promising note for those keen to see more from the franchise in future.
While Konami hasn’t detailed the full breadth of its upcoming plans, it does appear it will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the franchise in a major way, with more news to come. Those keen to see what’s next should stay tuned.
